Years ago, I had a discussion with a friend of mine in England. In fact, it was in January of 2012 when we talked about how we were both waking up between 2-5, and sometimes exactly at 4:00 a.m.

For awhile, I got up and prayed, especially if God was bringing someone or something to my mind.

Moving around so much in the past four years has interfered with me responding to this call "to keep vigil with Christ" as Father Xavier called it.

Now, I have met several other people, both men and women, who tell me that are waking up at 4 or so. We all agree, but one who still is not sure, that God is calling us to pray at that time.

One of this group found out that people who are going to commit suicide do so at these times, 2-5.

Another person thought of being in the Garden of Gethsemane. Maybe Christ just wants us to be with Him, as if we were in the Garden, but not falling asleep like the apostles.

I must admit this is very, very hard for me, as I only get about six to seven hours of sleep a night as it is owing to doing so many things. Interrupted sleep can only be called "difficult".

But, if God is waking one up, one must get up and pray.

I cannot do a rosary at that hour, usually, unless I am well-rested, but I can turn my mind towards Christ and pray for those people who do come to my mind at those wee hours of the morning....

To do vigil with Christ means that He is begging us to join Him in His Passion, to do what St. Paul indicates here:

Colossians 1:24Douay-Rheims

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church:

Notice how in this translation, St. Paul refers to mortification of the flesh, of the body. There is no doubt that keeping vigil with Christ in the night falls under this category of us suffering for the needs of souls in the present time.

For some, this waking up in the middle of the night could be the "thorn in the flesh", as the interrupting of sleep is painful and makes a day of work much more difficult. The Church finishes the suffering of Christ throughout all time.

But, one always has a choice to respond to given mortifications or not....and as I have said before on this blog, do not waste suffering.

... I write this for C, J, D, E, J, and M.P.S. If you wake up at three, say the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

In today's first reading at Mass, from 2 Kings 5:1-15, Naaman, the leper, is told to wash in the River Jordan. He balks at Elisha's suggestion, as he notes that the rivers of his country are cleaner that the Jordan.But, he is not objecting to the river, but to the simplicity of the manner of healing.Some people want drama in their lives regarding healing. But, all God usually wants is the regular use of the sacraments and sacramentals in order to bring about healing.I have been against so-called healing Masses for a very long time. The last time I went to one, I noticed that many of the people praying over others were not obeying the Catholic Church and out of order, not only regarding the laying of hands, but in the use of Protestant prayers with incorrect theological ideas, and with the fact that these people disagreed with some of the teachings of the Catholic Church. Pride and egotism about "my ministry" stops the flow of grace and the life of the virtues. One cannot be holy if one is not orthodox, as noted here many times. Pride and the emotions are behind seeking out such ministries. The humble, quiet ways are usually God's ways.In fact, demonic influence was coming from some of the people who were praying...and several people with whom I discussed this later found this to be true in their lives.The most simple way to be healed is to repent of unforgiveness. An examination of conscience reveals hatred and bitterness for the past sins against one. But, how one reacts to these hurts determines healing.I know, as I have written on this blog, three women and one man, now deceased, who were sexually molested by a priest for years and years. None left the Church. All but one got married and raised their children in the Church. Forgiveness brought healing. Confession brought healing.The simplicity of the way of Catholic healing has been overshadowed by showy and false ways of release. One of the main points of the retreat this past weekend is that we have the power from baptism and confirmation to become free of demonic influences.Because of the theological errors and the liturgical aberrations, such as a priest walking around with the monstrance and having people touch it, completely against the true guidelines from the Vatican, and against the propriety of Eucharistic worship, healing Masses must end.The simple reveals truth, not the dramatic....

...and think of those of us in poverty and even penury, without homes of our own, while these priests live comfortably and in grave sin.

So much for the order which is supposedly for the poor. This is one thing Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane...those in the clergy and in the Church defying His Love and preferring the love of other men.

European Parliament Votes on abortion this weekTake two minutes today to email your MEPs asking them to reject abortion

Many people will recall a vote in the European Parliament which took place in December 2013 on a Report called 'Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights'. The report, proposed by Portuguese MEP Edite Estrela included a number of recommendations that promoted the provision of abortion. Following representations from pro-life advocates across Europe the report was rejected and an alternative report adopted.

The rejection of that report showed that grassroots efforts of pro-life people advocating for authentic human rights have an impact.

This week, the European Parliament will debate the Tarabella and Panzeri reports which again seek to promote abortion across Europe.

Can you take just two minutes today to email your MEPS to ask them to resolutely reject the provisions that promote abortion in the Tarabella and Panzeri reports?

Father Xavier spoke of the virtues with regard to breaking demonic influences of obsession and oppression.

The virtues on which he concentrated are the cardinal virtues, again defined on this blog in both posts on virtues and posts on the way to perfection.

Father assumed that his audience knew the definitions of these, but he did emphasize some rather than others.

Prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude provide means to counter demonic influences in our lives. Father said plainly that children must be confirmed, and that too many are not being confirmed. These virtues are necessary, not only as natural virtues, according to the ancient Greeks, but as supernatural virtues given as gifts for all confirmed Catholics to use daily.

Father noted that the demons do not want to attack a person who has control over their bodies and their emotions.

There are antecedent appetites which need to be controlled. Father gave the example of people sleeping too much. If one gives into such a pleasure, one is allowing the possibility of demonic influences over the body. Prudence, which is right reason applied to practice, allows us to be temperate in our lives regarding food, sleep and other things, perhaps connected to the passions which can drive us.

The cardinal virtues inform reason, the intellective appetites, so that we can overcome sin, weaknesses, and demonic influences. Practicing the virtues also gives us confidence in fighting demonic influences. Obviously, if we are slothful, and bombarded by demons of sloth for example, the opposite virtue of temperance would be a necessary practice in our lives. Temperance is won through chastity, fasting, and abstinence, which combat demonic influences. Father emphasized the necessity in spiritual warfare for fighting demons with temperance.

The other virtues, justice, prudence and fortitude, also are necessary in combating evil in our lives.

The importance of battling daily cannot be underestimated. I came away from this retreat realizing that there is little "down time" in the effort to become perfect, to become holy. Father Xavier said to beg God for the virtues and the graces to become holy.

I am begging....And remembering that to overcome even venial sin with the virtues, one should do the opposite of the fault or vice.

One more point which slightly overlapped with my reading of the City of God.

Father said that there are people out there building on purpose the City of Satan. We cannot deny this.
Becoming holy means being a member of the Church Militant.

I only have time to write this and one other post on the retreat, which is now over. Father Xavier's presentation on authority was one of the most important parts of the retreat. Again, he reiterated Church teaching and many things I have put on this blog in the past. But, his great intuitions cannot be surpassed.

Starting with Adam and Eve, Father Xavier pointed out some key points which I shall place as bullets.

Adam had knowledge from God concerning the Tree of Good and Evil. Eve did not. Therefore, Eve had to be in obedience to Adam to be free from sinning.

Eve's sin was curiosity (which I wrote about here) and when the snake began to talk, as animals did not talk (Eden is NOT Narnia) she should have left the scene immediately and asked Adam for discernment and help.

If she would have done that, Adam would not have committed the great sin of acting like God and usurping God's role. Eve usurped the authority of both God and Adam. Adam usurped the authority of God directly.

If women are obedient to their husbands, and if we are obedient to the Church, we are protected.

No one who steps outside of obedience is protected and therefore open to demonic influences.

Disobedience opens one up to demonic influences.

If a man uses authority for his own ends, like selfishness, he is sinning against God. Women sin by not being obedient.

Marriages are ruined by the desire to control on the part of the woman and the desire to be selfish on the part of the man.

Adam did not take care of Eve by refusing the apple. This is the sin of men.

Children are protected if they are obedient to their parents, but not protected from evil is they are disobedient.

Father noted that women are not submissive or have to be obedient to men in heaven, Men and women have the same status in heaven, so that if married women can learn to be obedience, they will get to heaven and be happy as equals.

Nice....

Now, one of the gravest examples of the usurpation of authority today is this false idea of the laying of hands on people by charismatics. I was so happy to hear Father talk about this, as I have written on this blog many, many times about one, not doing this, and, two, not letting anyone do this to you.

No one has authority over anyone else except husbands over wives and parents over children. The hierarchy of the Church has authority over all of us, single or married, in the laws of the Church.

Do not fall into this false laying of hands, Father said clearly. In fact, one is opening up one's self to demonic influences through those people who are usurping authority.

Sigh, I felt vindicated, but God has taught me many things through the years and I was so glad that a good priest was stating strongly what I had learned the hard way.

Obedience is the root of holiness as it is connected to holiness.

No lay person can bless anyone else or claim authority in this way, especially claiming the laying of hands, which is ONLY a priestly function, done by priests or bishops. Only the priest's hands are consecrated.

Parents may pray over their children and even anoint them with sacred oil, but no one else, outside the clerical hierarchy.

Demonic influence will enter a person's life through the false laying of hands. As Father said, they mean well, but they are wrong, and "out of order."

Thank you, Father, for backing me up on this point. Humility is the key to serving God as He has ordained us to serve Him. Usurpation of power is a serious sin.

Leon Bloy

Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma

The Church Must Not Be Defensive

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Too many Church leaders do not think, or do not think as Catholics

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GUILD PRAYER

God our Father, source of life and freedom, through Your Holy Spirit you gave the Carmelite, Titus Brandsma the courage to affirm human dignity even in the midst of suffering and degrading persecution.

Grant us that same spirit so that, in refusing all compromise with error we may always and everywhere give coherent witness to Your abiding presence among us.